The hemorheological findings in leukemia

Abstract

Blood from 30 leukemic patients, 20 anemic and 15 healthy subjects was studied to examine the effect of leukocytes and blast cells on blood viscosity and on filtration procedure. Buffy coat was removed in 24 blood samples from leukemic patients and in 15 from healthy subjects. Then the hematological and hemorheological tests were repeated. The mean levels of blood viscosity at shear rates 23 and 230 sec^−l were not high in the 30 leukemic patients. Ten patients with hyperleukocytic leukemia had mean levels of blood viscosity not significantly higher than those of 20 anemic patients with similar cytocrit, no abnormal plasma proteins, and leukocyte count in normal range. Moreover, the removal of buffy coat did not affect blood viscosity, when the cytocrit was kept constant. The findings point out that the large increase in blood viscosity is. an uncommon event in leukemia. In contrast, the results of the filtration procedure showed a severe impairment of blood filterability, due to both the high concentration of leukocytes and the presence of blast cells. The latter influences the test even if in a small amount. The importance of whole blood filtration findings is stressed for the early detection of tissue malperfusion in leukemia.